"On my part, I remain committed to the process of dialogue. It is my firm belief that dialogue and a willingness to look with honesty and clarity at the reality of Tibet can lead us to a viable solution."

Dalai Lama to meet former Czech President Václav Havel

December 1, 2008

Phayul
November 29, 2008

Dharamsala, Nov. 29 -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama will visit Prague,
the capital of Czech Republic at the invitation of former President
Václav Havel and Forum2000 from 29 November to 1 December 2008,
Geneva Office of Tibet said in a press release.

Besides meeting former President Václav Havel, His Holiness will
address the Tibet Group in the Czech Parliament on Monday. His
Holiness will give a public talk "Compassion: The Basis of Happiness" tomorrow.

Italian fencer Margherita Granbassi, who won a medal in Beijing
Olympics, will present her fencing mask to His Holiness the Dalai
Lama. "I hope the same mask that protected me in Beijing will help
him protect his people," said Granbassi.

This is the first visit to Europe by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
after the Beijing Olympics. After Prague, His Holiness the Dalai Lama
will travel to Brussels where he will address the European
Parliament. He will also visit Poland where he will attend a ceremony
to mark 25 years of conferment of Nobel peace prize to former Polish
president and anti-communist Solidarity leader Lech Walesa.

Former President Havel was the first head of state to extend an
official invitation to His Holiness the Dalai Lama after becoming the
first democratically elected President of Czechoslovakia after the
fall of Communism in November 1989. In February 1990, His Holiness
the Dalai Lama visited Czechoslovakia.

This is the seventh visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Czech Republic.